Is This A Parker 51?

[rhymingisfun]

I was gifted this pen today by my grandmother, which I assume hasn't been used in quite some time. I think, based off of pictures, that this is a Parker 51 vacumatic. I'm not sure how to get the nib out, or open it up. The top part of the barrel either doesn't or won't twist off, so I'm hesitant to try anything since I don't know what I have here.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

[welch]

Looks like a Parker 51 and the cap looks like a 51 vac cap. The hood does not unscrew without some heat: it should be set in shellac. Trick, which the professionals have learned, is how to heat the hood to just the right temperature to melt the shellac without melting the hood.

 

The "blind cap" should unscrew. Run your finger-nail down the end opposite the nib and you should find the end of the blind cap.

 

Several find repair experts would be delighted to re-sac this pen and tune the nib. Not a big deal, but not something you want to learn on your grandmother's pen.

 

Congratulations!!!

Edited June 16, 2014 by welch

[icardoth]

Please do not try to remove the hood if you are not an expert. You can damage the pen.

[rhymingisfun]

Thanks for your help Welch! I'll probably send it to someone, since I don't want to damage it as icardoth mentioned. Is this sort of repair expensive? And do you know of a good place to send it to? I'm quite new to fountain pens, so I don't know too much yet.

[inkstainedruth]

Don't try to remove the hood, but do remove the barrel -- if it's an Aerometric pen -- or the blind cap if it's a 51 Vac. That will give you an idea about the vintage of the pen, if there aren't any sort of markings on the pen or cap (for example, later 51 Aeros don't necessarily have a date code, but the wording on the sleeve narrows down the date range, depending on what it says; for 51 Vacs, the style and material of the plunger changes).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[OcalaFlGuy]

Rhyming, first,

 

Google The Write Pen. It's owner, Danny Fudge is probably the most reasonably priced for that type of job with the quicker turnaround.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[AndrewC]

Go here-http://www.parker51.com/

and here-http://parkerpens.net/

and here- http://www.richardspens.com/

 

Using these websites you can learn a lot about your pen. You learn when it was made, which type, how to fill it, if it is a rare color, which can affect value (although being a gift from your grandmother I would assume it is priceless). Can you get a closeup of the 2 inches closest to the end away from the nib? That would tell if it has a blind cap or not. Is there any writing on the outside of the pen? Closeups are good. There are many persons to contact for repairing the pen if need be, but there are a few things we can help with before you send it off.

[rhymingisfun]

I uncapped the blind cap, which reveals the plunger. I don't see any markings on it, only "Parker" written down the clip. This is a picture of the back end.

 

I dipped the pen in water and started plunging, and there must have been a lot of ink dried in it because I'm still getting a lot of ink out of it each time I plunge. I read in another post that there should be bubbles after 4 or so plunges, but I'm only getting bubbles out of the first plunge.

 

The nib also looks like it is gold or bronze, it's hard to tell with the little bit that pokes out. it's a little bent though, and is very scratchy against paper.

 

Thanks for all your help, everyone! And thanks for welcoming me to the group!

 

EDIT: I wanted to mention, based off parker51.com, that it looks to be a standard color, Cordovan Brown. Based off the clip it looks to be a pre-1947 Parker 51. Thanks for recommending the website, Andrew C.

Edited June 16, 2014 by rhymingisfun

[rhymingisfun]

Here is the pen with the blind cap off.

[rhymingisfun]

And this is the nib

[ShallowJam]

Yup, Cordovan brown Parker 51 Vacumatic. Definitely send it somewhere to get restored, and you will have a great pen.

[Komitadjie]

Indeed! That's only a quick and reasonably inexpensive restoration away from being a superb daily user. That's a darn good pen, thank 'yo gramma!

[Glenn Atkins]

That is a very nice pen. 14kt nib, vac pump looks to be fine, should just need a new diaphragm. All the advice you've gotten so far has been spot on.

 

Enjoy your special pen.

 

Glenn Atkins

[william2001]

I think so.

The only fountain pen with a covered nib is a Parker 51.

-William S. Park

[inkstainedruth]

I think so.

The only fountain pen with a covered nib is a Parker 51.

-William S. Park

Actually, that's not quite true. The Parker 21s are similar looking, but don't (as I understand it) have the true Aerometric fill system and are made of a lower-grade plastic. They also have, IIRC, octanium nibs like on 51 Specials. (I have a 21 and a 51 Special -- as well as several 51s), but not one of the Super 21s, which are supposedly closer to the 51s). When I spotted the 21 in the antiques mall where I found it, I got a teensy bit excited (even though the tag *did* say it was a 21). But of course when I got the back of the pen open, it said "Parker 21" on the sac sleeve. Although I'm pretty sure mine's a relatively early one, since it *also* said "Use Superchrome ink"....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[AndrewC]

Other hooded Parkers include the 41 (a.k.a. Debutante), 45 (although it might be called semi-hooded), the 61, & 71. There were many hooded nib pens from Europe as well. Montblanc had some, and perhaps most famously in Europe would be the vintage Aurora 88. Not to mention all the Chinese knock-offs. Anyway...

 

Rhyming- Nice pen, great color! Photos are pretty darn good too. Looking forward to hearing how it writes after you get the service done.

 

And, sorry-just gotta say it- welcome to the 'hood.

Edited June 17, 2014 by AndrewC

[amk]

Hooded pens.... Lamy 2000 anyone?

 

But that is a lovely Parker 51. I do think 51s have something special.

Edited June 17, 2014 by amk

[welch]

The ultimate fountain pen. Best ever made. You don't need another fountain pen, (says I-who-have-about-two-dozen-P51s). In your grandmother's day, Rhyming, people had one pen and usually one ink...either Parker Quink or Sheaffer Skrip. When the pen began to run dry -- by feel -- they re-filled.

 

Just about everyone here has too many pens. Do as we did NOT and you will save your wallet!

 

(Of course, you are probably allowed to get a Parker 51 aerometric, the filling system Parker used after about 1948. You might also find a medium nib, just for variety. Ernesto Soler at Parker51.com sells P51 nibs. Still...just one more pen or you will be lost...hopelessly addicted like so many who come to this site to encourage each other in MAINTAINING our fountain-pen-addiction. You've been warned!)

[Apothic]

It's too late.. Grams gave him a P51, and being the enablers that we are; that pen is soon going to see a new beginning. Once the nib hits the pad… You might as well link paypal with the bank.

 

Give Grams a hug, fix the pen, and you're in for a treat! Good luck!

 

-Pat L.

[Sasha Royale]

for your wisdom in not forcing anything. The mechanism is likely dried out and stuck. Danny Fudge serviced mine

beautifully. He did it like one who loves my Parker 51, rather than merely fixing it.

 

Congratulations ! You are steward to a family heirloom. Keeping it in service is a wonderful way to honor the memory

of the original owner. After family members found out that I could/would take good care of such, I started getting other

family fountain pens. Added to Dad's pen, I got those belonging to my aunt , my grandfather, the father of my pen pal,

and the deskset of an historic general (old friend of Dad).

 

Write with joy.